Terrified

[Guest]

Is anyone else terrified about this process? I'm a postdoc, but this is really my first time on the job market (I applied to two postdocs and ended up getting one, so I finished my dissertation much faster than I would have preferred), and my funding definitely ends this summer. I've been so discouraged because I keep seeing updates showing places that have made short lists and scheduled interviews, and I haven't been making the cut, even for the few places that I felt like I would be a good fit. I'm going to be applying to a lot of places (nearly 80 or so), but I feel like with nearly all of them, I'm really reaching in that my areas of specialization don't fit very well. I have a few publications, but I feel a ton of regret for not publishing more and not spending enough time on research, but I've also been really discouraged because I've recently received a lot of other rejections (journal articles, an NSF proposal). On top of all of this, I haven't done anything related to research/publication for over a month because I am basically applying to a few jobs every day, teaching, and procrastinating. I'm feeling so depressed about this that I'm having a lot of trouble motivating myself to work on applications. I keep asking myself: What if I don't get any job offers? What am I going to do? I'm terrified about it, and I don't have a clue about what I'll do.

I feel really isolated as a postdoc because I don't have other students on the market to talk to, and my advisor is at my old institution across the country. Any tips for dealing with this? Anyone else have similar feelings? Is anyone else completely miserable? What are your back-up plans?

Sorry for this rant. I needed to vent.

[welcome to the job market]

I am on the market for the second-ish time. I applied to about 40 schools last year, but had very little of my dissertation completed. Why I tried last year, I don't know.

This year I'm both in a better position (can send a completed empirical chapter of my dissertation to prove I'm gonna actually finish) and worse (did any of my 3 journal submissions even get an R&R last year? nope--so the CV is identical to the previous year, pretty much, except for a book review and an ASA presentation). I spend half of my day on this board and regretting not publishing more (or trying harder, at least), teaching my own classes to get my teaching credentials up, or writing a better job letter (at the very least, I could have avoided the embarrassing typo I caught after sending it to 8 schools!). I made one long list so far, but that's it and it was at a school I didn't really want to apply to but my advisor has friends in the department (so I probably made the long list based on that).

It's a terrible feeling, barely made better by knowing there are dozens or even hundreds of people with the same self-doubt, same obsession, and same concerns about what to do next. There's not much I can recommend to make it better (anyone?) beyond the standard tropes of make sure to enjoy some time on your hobbies (whatever they are), talk to friends who aren't sociologists to get your mind off of it, know you aren't alone, and, if it's really causing that much stress--get a therapist/visit yours more frequently. I scheduled my first ever therapy session this week because of a panic attack @ a bar last week.

While this feels like a judgement of our quality, it's instead a judgement of schools' abilities to recognize our brilliance. Sorry, UMass, but you just got found guilty of failing to recognize my awesomeness:)

[drbearjew]

Hi
I can tell you you're not alone. In fact, I think all of us on the market feel this sort of thing at one point in time, some of us constantly, some of us only in particular instances. I think it's par for the course, actually.

It is extremely early in the job game, however. Many more positions will be announced between now and March, and some even as late as May. Without sounding like a cliche (and this will be hard to do), one of my favorite quotes is one from Coach Eric Taylor from the TV series, "Friday Night Lights." He says in one episode, "Success is not an end-game. It's a by-product." Of course this can be problematized, and I imagine a board full of sociologists, many of them critical by training, will find problems with it. But, it has helped me stay motivated and focused, and that is all that matters.

Continue to be active, continue to keep your head down, and continue to be open to opportunities, or the opportunity of an opportunity (if that makes sense). Best of luck.

[ditto]

Hi Guest-
I am in the same boat. I am a VAP away from my advisor, friends, and family and on the market for the 2nd time. My vita has not changed dramatically from last year and I too have not made any long lists - even at places where I thought I was a great fit (Delaware, Iowa, etc). I feel like all I do is try to keep my head above water with teaching and applying to jobs and I'm really worried that it won't work out for me either. And somehow, each rejection is just as crushing (UMass today). I keep anxiously waiting for the phone to ring. But, as I experienced last year, it is really early in the process. Many if not most schools end up interviewing in December or Spring semester.

I have decided that I won't go on the market again next year if I don't get a job - which to me is helpful. The thought that if it doesn't work out, I will find some other line of work (think research/government agency) actually makes all of this stress seem somewhat less scary. Having a plan B may be helpful for you too (either another post-doc, VAP, leaving academia). And you are no alone. Hope this vent helps!

[just breathe]

This is my 3rd time on the market (starting my 2nd and final year of postdoc right now). It's been useful to go through it all a couple of times because now I realize how little of it actually is in my control. I've been working with a life coach and told her that while I'm hoping for the best, I'm definitely worried that something won't work out. She pointed out that this fear/panic funnels energy away from achieving more positive goals. I realized she was right and that I was wasting time and mental effort worrying about things that haven't even come to pass (and might not). And it *is* still early--you have no idea what might happen and the time you spend worrying could be put towards making yourself a better candidate for the jobs that have yet to be posted. Good luck!

[unclekarl]

The soc job market is terrifying and brutal. I have certainly felt and will feel this. I'm not very confident I will get a job, despite 3-4 new pubs and a great deal of potential research. I'm currently thinking about opportunities outside the Academy, even though I would love to have a tenure-track position. In my life, I have found that I will always have opportunities, if I am open to them.

[OP]

OP here. Thanks so much to everyone who has posted so far. It really does make me feel a lot better knowing that I'm not alone in these feelings, and I really appreciate the tips. You made this process a little less stressful, so thank you!

[Nonsuperstar]

I'm wondering if there are others like me out there. I'm not quite "terrified" yet, but I imagine by this time next year I will be. I basically get to stay on as a VAP next year for my department but after that I'm on my own. I'm ABD (should defend in spring), I have a ton of teaching experience, teaching awards, all the stuff everyone else has. But I'm not very established as a researcher. It's not for lack of trying. I've had several rejections from journals in the last year. I've been going to 2 to 3 conferences a year so I'm remaining active, but without pubs I don't really stand a chance.

It seems like most of the folks posting here have a lot of publications, Ph.D. in hand, grant money, etc... Is everyone else but me a superstar? I am very intimidated by the credentials I see posted on this board. Are most of you only shooting for research intensive schools? I'm really focused on 4-4 LAC jobs. Just wondering if there are any other non-superstars out there.. Luckily I've got a gig for next year, but watching the job Market forum tells me I've got a lot of work to do. Speaking of which, I should probably stop typing and try to go publish something. Good luck everyone.

Security Check: Ball of Confusion

[Superstar in my own mind]

Hello non-superstar, I'm "Superstar in my own mind, but not yet by conventional definition." Pleased to meet a peer

I am currently ABD with a department that is well outside of the top-50. I have plenty of teaching experience as a teaching fellow, a handful of nice awards, and a few conference presentations. My only publication at present is a co--authored book chapter, so it's not on par with the journal articles many other candidates have. I do have a few papers under review, but who knows how that will end.

I have decided to take the approach that the key for a "non-superstars" is persistence. Stay the course, work on the publications, apply to jobs, constantly look for opportunities to improve the vita, and hold out long enough to outlast people who decide to move on to non-academic careers. I'm more suited to be the tortoise than I am to be the hare

You're not alone.

[ohh]

First off, I agree with the last poster, that there is something to say for perseverance!

Also remember that there are ways to make up for "non-superstar" marks on our CVs. For example, I did a lot of networking at conferences (going to talks in my area and then talking to presenters/audience members) that ended up with a collaboration for a journal article.